The US space firm NASA has dismissed its Chief Scientist, Katherine Calvin, along with 22 members of her office, following orders from President Donald Trump. This move is part of a wider administrative effort that seems to downplay the focus on scientific research in the United States.

As reported by AFP, a NASA spokesperson confirmed that this round of layoffs is just the beginning, with more job cuts expected to follow. The restructuring resulted in the closure of the Office of the Chief Scientist, previously led by Katherine Calvin. Calvin, a respected climatologist, contributed significantly to important UN climate reports. Reports also indicate that she and other US representatives were denied entry to a major climate science conference in China last month. NASA spokesperson Cheryl Warner stated that the agency is carrying out a phased 'reduction in force' (RIF) to improve efficiency and follow an 'executive order.' According to Warner, a few employees were informed on March 10 that they are part of this process, as reported by AFP. She added that affected employees can either choose the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) or continue through the RIF procedure.

Furthermore, NASA has closed the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy, along with the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Branch, which was part of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Unlike many federal agencies facing budget cuts, NASA managed to avoid significant reductions, reportedly thanks to Jared Isaacman, Trump’s nominee for NASA Administrator. Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur and known associate of Elon Musk, who is a key Trump advisor and supporter of reducing federal spending, is believed to have intervened at the last minute. In February, NASA had been planning to lay off around 1,000 probationary employees. However, according to Ars Technica, Isaacman advised officials to pause the layoffs. NASA has not publicly explained the reason for this temporary delay.

The latest layoffs may be a sign of a strategy move away from scientific research and toward space exploration, as first disclosed by NASA Watch in an internal memo. Musk and Trump have both shown a strong desire to send humans to Mars. Trump recently reaffirmed his commitment to space exploration during his State of the Union speech, declaring that the United States would "plant the American flag on the planet Mars and even far beyond." NASA has been crucial in climate research, managing Earth-monitoring satellites, carrying out field studies, creating advanced climate models, and sharing open-source data for researchers and the public. However, the Trump administration seems to be shifting focus away from climate science. It has already laid off hundreds of staff members from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), another important climate research agency, with more job cuts likely to follow.